Only a desperate (and sick) man could think and write such paranoid trash. You will notice that Hansen uses a "?" twice. That's to avoid a libel suit, while still attempting to establish guilt on an innocent person. This is a standard tactic of cowards with high school English skills.

For the record...

I have never received a "kickback" from Israel Blume or any other manufacturer or distributor in my life, and that includes the entire 20 years when I was in the audio retail business. This odious accusation sounds like psychological projection from Hansen.

When I choose to (anonymously) post or paraphrase the opinion of someone in the audio business, I make certain first that there is no conflict. That's why I wouldn't post Blume's opinions about speakers, cables, and now amplifiers, and I wouldn't post Hansen's opinions about CD players (and based on Hansen's warped thinking, any other component).

Before I EVER recommend a component from ANYone that I feel I have a "personal relationship" with, I ALWAYS verify the component's performance with experienced AUDIOPHILES (that's plural) who are both competent and objective. This is particularly the case with components from Coincident.

Further...

Hansen's invincible ignorance actually matches his profound paranoia. A quick check of my website establishes the real facts and also indisputably confirms that Hansen is a blatant liar...

1. I don't recommend ANY interconnect cables, including Coincident. I don't even use Coincident interconnects in my system. I've used Ars Acoustica prototypes for the last 6 years.

2. The Polk is my speaker cable reference, and has been for over twenty years. I use the Coincident Extreme for bass only.

3. My reference speaker for the last 10 years has been the Ars Acoustica System Max. It has NEVER been the Victory II. The Coincident Pure Reference will become my "reference" in November 2007. It is the first (and only) Coincident speaker to ever reach my Class A.

4. My "Personal Disclosure" details everything I have, and what I paid for it. Contrast this to the complete secrecy of other audio writers.

5. Of the last 10 or so audio components I have purchased for evaluation, I have lost money on 9 of them when they were later resold. I have no regrets about this, since my website is not a business.

In conclusion...

It's obvious to anyone with a balanced mind that I am not in this for the money. Hansen obviously doesn't know how to deal with this (non-commercial) situation. I can't be either bought off, or intimidated, so he is apparently prepared to go to any lengths, including creating fictional scenarios, to try to discredit me and anyone that I trust. (Even Michael Fremer didn't sink this low.)

Readers can decide themselves who is more credible and who has more at stake here, enough to lie or insinuate a lie.

Hansen, a manufacturer who should be busy researching and testing to improve his components, instead spends a considerable amount of his time at this website reading and writing thousands of posts. I can't interpret this activity as anything other than for selling his components, directly or indirectly. The ultimate motive is simple: $$$$$.

My website has been in existance for more than 8 years. My track record is now well established, and my credibility, independence, consistency and integrity can not be challenged, by Hansen or any other (insecure) audiophile who disagrees with my postings.